One of the year's most anticipated releases, Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest, witnesses a relatively young band take to the studio with a veteran-like attitude. The feverish pitch of anticipation from bloggers and faithful fans alike is answered in an album that is meticulous in its production and lavish in its overall sound.

Named after an island near Cape Cod, Veckatimest is the band's third studio album. And while there are no lyrical references to the title, the band seems determined in creating a defined atmosphere. The album opens with "Southern Point", a song of dramatic twists and turns that is as equally haunting as it is seductive.

"Two Weeks" is a song that the band debuted last year while on tour, and has aged well in the studio. The song is landscaped with colorful, multi-part harmonies and emits an easy, summertime vibe.

Much of Veckatimest, presumably, revolves around relationships. But Grizzly Bear doesn't write failed love songs like most young bands. And thankfully do not write with such an abstract approach that the meanings become lost on the audience. Instead, the band relies on succinct lyrical passages that are neither too direct nor too precious. As a result, songs like "While We Wait For The Others" exceed expectations.

And speaking of expectations, the climate of indie music has shown a consistency to over-hype, or over-anticipate releases. Sometimes this will leave a band little room to impress upon the 'official' release. Don't expect this to be the case this spring, because Veckatimest from Grizzly Bear is worth the wait.

Written by Mike Vasilikos, WXPN's Assistant Music Director and New Music Show Host.

Grizzly Bear was the name Edward Droste gave to his psychedelic home-recording experiments; the resulting album, 2004's Horn of Plenty, was only meant for some of his close friends, yet quickly tore through underground circles. The demand for the record was such that it was reissued as a double album in 2005, during which time the group expanded to include three additional members on guitar, reeds, and electronics. Grizzly Bear's second disc, Yellow House, was a broadened yet tight collection of gorgeous lo-fi that made indie-lovers around the world sit up and take notice. Their subsequent EP only bolstered their growing reputation - guests included Beirut, Band of Horses, and CSS.

Since then, Grizzly has been on an international must watch list, toured with Radiohead, collaborated with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and played at festivals such as SXSW and the Lollapalooza. Still, the group found time to create their third full-length album, the highly anticipated Veckatimest. Set for release on May 26, Veckatimest promises to be a compelling, eclectic experience. Grizzly's deft talent for pulling together genres and emotions in a tangibly real way is more evident than ever. Artsy and full of delirious musical arrangements, Grizzly Bear are pushing pop's musical boundaries like few other modern indie-rock bands - epitomizing the very best of their genre. And for this reason, XPN chooses Grizzly Bear as its latest Artist to Watch.